Baylei Jade Maree Salway given probation for drug charges

A 21-year-old woman who has racked up a $7,000 SPER debt did not want a magistrate’s offer for probation because she didn’t want to do a drug rehabilitation course.

Baylei Jade Maree Salway, 21, pleaded guilty on October 26 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count of possessing drug utensils and one of possessing a dangerous drug.

A 21-year-old woman who has racked up a $7,000 SPER debt knocked back a magistrate’s offer for probation with conditions of attending drug rehabilitation, because she did not want to do the courses.

Baylei Jade Maree Salway pleaded guilty on October 26 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count of possessing drug utensils and one of possessing a dangerous drug.

Police prosecutor Courtney Brown said Salway was a passenger in a car intercepted by police on McLaughlin Street, Kawana, at 2am on October 5.

She said there was a pipe with burnt residue in Salway’s handbag and police also located MDMA in her possession which she claimed she had forgotten about.

Baylei Jade Maree Salway, 21, did not want a magistrate’s offer for probation with conditions of attending drug rehabilitation course because she didn’t want to do the courses.

Magistrate Jason Schubert offered Salway six months probation after discovering she had a $7245.60 State Penalty Enforcement Registry debt and the last payment she made was in 2018.

Salway’s records included a drug drive conviction in 2020 and a disqualified driving offence later that year, along with possessing drug utensils in November 2020 and April 2021.

Mr Schubert asked Salway why she had not paid her SPER debt and she told him she couldn’t afford it.

“How do you afford drugs?” Mr Schubert said.

“I’m not going to answer that,” Salway replied.

“I don’t have a job.

“I don’t have a home.”

Salway initially refused to agree to probation, telling the court she had tried rehabilitation before and it didn’t work.

Mr Schubert explained probation provided people assistance with their drug rehabilitation and if she didn’t agree, he would have to give her a prison term sentence due to her criminal and traffic record.

Salway consented to undergo the probation order.